Sunday's Most-Watched Entertainment Program, "Christmas at the White House: An Oprah Primetime Special" Draws ABC's 2nd-Biggest Audience in the Hour this Season

WEEK No. 12:

During the week of December 7, 2009, ABC grew its numbers over the same week last year in Total Viewers (+8% - 6.8 million vs. 6.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+5% - 2.0/6 vs. 1.9/5), registering as the only major network to improve in the key young adult sales demographic.

Rankings: ABC aired 3 of the week's Top 15 TV programs among Adults 18-49, including TV's No. 1 holiday program this season with the debut of "Disney Prep & Landing" and the No. 1 freshman series with "Modern Family": "Disney Prep & Landing" � No. 8, "Modern Family" � No. 12 and "Charlie Brown Christmas" � No. 13. During the week, "Prep & Landing" also emerged as the most-watched holiday program overall this season. The new Disney holiday special scored the highest Kids 2-11 number for any TV telecast this season, and excluding only Super Bowls, the top since January 2008.

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 34% currently, from 28% at the same point in 2008. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Monday

"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

ABC's rebroadcast of the animated holiday classic "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" finished a strong No. 2 in during Monday's 8 o'clock hour with Adults 18-49 (2.5/7) to CBS' original comedies, beating Fox's original "Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special" in the key young adult sales demo (2.4/6). "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" overshadowed its competition in the hour with Kids 2-11, topping the combined delivery of CBS, Fox, NBC and CW by 44% (3.9/13 vs. 2.7/9), and finished as the No. 1 TV show of the night.

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Jumping from its lead-in at 10:00 p.m. by 2.6 million viewers and by 40% in Adults 18-49 and gaining audience throughout its broadcast, ABC's "Castle" placed a strong No. 2 in the hour to CBS' original "CSI: Miami," beating out NBC's "Jay Leno" by 3.1 million viewers (7.8 million vs. 4.7 million) and by 50% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/5 vs. 1.4/4).

� One of TV's biggest gainers in the 10 o'clock hour this season, ABC's "Castle" is generating substantial increases over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, picking up an average 1.8 million viewers and an additional 6-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+25%) from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

Tuesday

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

Against competition including the season finale of NBC's "Biggest Loser," ABC's rebroadcast of the animated holiday classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas" finished a strong No. 2 in its half-hour in Adults 18-49 (3.7/11), beating slot-regulars CBS' "NCIS" replay by 37% (2.7/8) and Fox's original "So You Think You Can Dance" by 61% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7). The Charlie Brown special towered over its slot with Kids 2-11, topping the combined delivery of CBS, Fox, NBC and CW in the half-hour by 42% (5.9/18 vs. 4.2/13), and finished as the No. 2 TV show of the night behind only its lead-out, ABC's debut of "Prep & Landing."

� The Peanuts special was up year to year in Total Viewers and held even with Adults 18-49 (11.0 million and 3.7/10 on 12/8/08).

"Disney Prep & Landing" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead-in opposite a growing "Biggest Loser," ABC's debut of "Disney Prep & Landing" earned a strong second to "Loser" at 8:30 p.m. in Adults 18-49 (4.1/11), topping "NCIS" by 41% (2.9/8) and Fox's "Dance" by 71% (2.4/6). "Prep & Landing" is ABC's first television special produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The holiday special reveals the never-before-told tale of an elite unit of Elves known as "Prep & Landing." In fact the new Disney holiday special stood as the No. 2 TV program of the night with Adults 18-49, behind only the 2-hour season closer of "Biggest Loser."

� "Prep & Landing" (12.0 million and 4.1/11) emerged as the TV's No. 1 holiday special this season with viewers and young adults, topping CBS' week-earlier airing of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (10.6 million and 3.8/11 on 12/2/09).

� In addition to standing as Tuesday's definitive No. 1 TV show with Kids 2-11 (7.5/23), "Prep & Landing" delivered the highest kids rating for any primetime telecast on broadcast TV so far this season. In fact excluding only Super Bowl telecasts, it was the top Kids 2-11 number for any primetime broadcast in nearly 2 years � since 1/15/08, with the season premiere of Fox's "American Idol."

� "Prep & Landing" greatly improved the slot year to year for ABC by 4.8 million viewers and by 105% in Adults 18-49 over the year-ago evening with an original "AFV" special (7.2 million and 2.0/5).

"Scrubs" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

In the 9:00 p.m. half-hour opposite the "Biggest Loser" finale, ABC's "Scrubs" jumped over its week-ago season premiere by 17% in Total Viewers (5.4 million vs. 4.6 million) and by 15% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/6 vs. 2.0/5). "Scrubs" finished No. 2 in the half-hour to the veteran NBC unscripted series with key Men: M18-34 (2.3/7) and M18-49 (2.3/6).

"Better Off Ted" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)
On its season premiere at 9:30 p.m., ABC's "Better Off Ted" topped its previous 7 original telecasts, drawing its biggest audience (3.8 million) and top Adult 18-49 (1.5/4) number since April (4/22/09).

Wednesday

ABC took second place on Wednesday night in Total Viewers (9.0 million) and finished in a virtual tie with CBS for No. 1 on the evening in Adults18-49, pacing within one-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share (3.0/8 vs. 3.1/8). The Network ranked No. 1 on the night with key Men: M18-34 (2.1/7) and M18-49 (2.5/7-tie).

� In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC posted its 2nd-strongest results on the night since season-premiere Wednesday � behind only the night of the "CMA Awards" on 11/11/09.

� ABC's Wednesday numbers surged over the year-ago night by 3.3 million viewers and by 50% in Adults 18-49 (5.7 million and 2.0/5 on 12/10/08, with an original line-up)

"Shrek the Halls" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

ABC's second replay this season of "Shrek the Halls" won the 8:00 p.m. half-hour in Total Viewers (8.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.6/8).

"The Middle" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Like its lead-in, ABC's "The Middle" took top honors in its half-hour with Total Viewers (7.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.4/7-tie).

� Registering its 2nd straight week of gains with viewers and young adults, the new ABC comedy drew its biggest audience since its series debut � since its premiere telecast on 9/30/09. "The Middle" garnered a series-high with Adults 18-34 (2.1/6).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

ABC's "Modern Family" won the 9:00 p.m. half-hour in Adults 18-49 (3.8/10), beating out CBS' original "Criminal Minds" in the key young adult sales demo (3.7/10). Additionally, the ABC freshman comedy dominated its slot and stood as the definitive No. 1 TV show on Wednesday in key Men: M18-34 (3.4/10) and M18-49 (3.5/9).

� "Modern Family" generated its biggest audience (9.6 million) and top Adult 18-49 number (3.8/10) in 10 weeks � since 9/30/09. The show marked the series' highest-ever ratings with Adults 18-34 (3.5/10), Men 18-34 (3.4/10) and Men 18-49 (3.5/10).

� Returning to original after a repeat the prior week, "Cougar Town" jumped over its most recent original airing (11/25/09) by 1.5 million viewers (7.0 million vs. 5.5 million) and by 47% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/7 vs. 1.9/6).

"Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009" (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

In the final hour of primetime, ABC's "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009" took a strong second with Total Viewers (10.6 million) and ran in a near-tie for first place with CBS' original veteran drama "CSI: NY" among Adults 18-49 (3.1/9 vs. 3.2/9). The annual special won the hour by 20% among Adults 18-34 over "CSI: NY" (2.4/7 vs. 2.0/6). First Lady Michelle Obama was named the most fascinating person of 2009.

� "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009" overshadowed the two-weeks-earlier airing of "NBC's People of the Year" with host Matt Lauer by 5.4 million viewers and by 121% in Adults 18-49 (5.2 million and 1.4/4 on 11/26/09).

� In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, the Barbara Walters special generated ABC's 2nd-biggest numbers in the hour this season � behind only "CMA Awards" in the time period on 11/11/09.

Friday

Growing week to week in viewers (+1.0 million) and young adults (+17%), ABC took second place on Friday night in Total Viewers (5.5 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.4/5), while ranking No. 1 with Women 18-49 (1.9/6-tie).

"Ugly Betty" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead-in, ABC's "Ugly Betty" earned second place in the 9 o'clock hour with viewers (4.7 million) and young adults (1.3/4) and finished No. 1 against its network rivals with Women 18-34 (1.6/5).

� On Friday night, "Betty" is producing sizeable gains over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, picking up an average 17% more overall Total Viewers and jumping 33% in Adults 18-49 from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

� Despite the substantial NFL competition from CBS in the slot, "AFV" generated the series' biggest audience in over 9 months � since 3/1/09.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (8:00-10:00 p.m.)

Gaining viewers and young adults throughout its 2-hour telecast against NBC's Eagles-Giants game, ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" improved the time period over the same evening last year (12/14/08) by 1.5 million viewers (10.3 million vs. 8.8 million) and by 15% in Adults 18-49 (3.1/8 vs. 2.7/6).